Look Back: The Most Popular Toys of Holidays Past

When the presents are all unwrapped and the breakfast spread gobbled up, holiday revelers often turn to the time-honored tradition of board games — and can be left stewing and sulking, NBC News' Better reported.

There are some good explanations for why board games can bring out the worst in us: Our brains may not process that it's just a game, and they are designed to divide us, experts say.

"By their nature, board games bring out our competitive spirit because they divide us," said psychological performance coach Dr. Alok Trivedi, who added that the "every man for himself" scenario they usually create can induce an adrenaline rush.